Meter box



' and Patented Sept. 21, 19276.

UNITED srArEs EE0 e. HAAs'E, 0E L ONG BEAomcAmEonNrA.

METER `nox.

Application filed April 1,192'5. VSerial No. r19,888.l

This invention relates to improvements inv meter boxes and may be considered as an improvement over the type of meter box dis-l closed in my prior Patent No. 1,087,366 issued February 17, 1914.v

The object of this invention is to provide an improved meter ybox and cover therefor, which parts are so constructed as to permit the cover to be quickly and properly seated upon the meter box. It has beenv common experience that when the covers areplaced upon the'meter boxes, sand and dirt tends'to fallbetween the vseating surfaces upon the cover and upon the box. the cover never properly'seats upon thebox and frequently the top surfaces of the cover project aboveV the top ofthe meter box and in such instances, where the meter box is placed upon the sidewalk and fin like lo-V cations, the cover projects slightly above the surfaceV of theV sidewalk so thatV pedestrians frequently stumble over the cover. By the improved construction an improved meter box and cover is provided, which is'so con? structed that the Vsand and dirt which tends to accumulate between thevseating surfaces onthe box and cover can readily be removed and caused to fall within the meter box.

`With the foregoing and other objects in view which will be made manifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein: t

Figure 1 is a vertical section through Vthe improved meter box in applied position;

Fig. 2 is aV vertical section showing th box in perspective; Y v

Fig. 3 is a horizontalfsection takensubstantially on the line 3-3 ofl Fig. 1; Y

Fig. 4 is a perspective view kof the cover:

Fig. 5 is a side elevationoffthe toolv or key which is used for lifting the cover and vfor rotating it in causing the sand anddirt v` to be removed from between ,the seating surfaces. Y y

Referring tothe accompanying drawings wherein similar lreference characters designate similar parts throughout, the box shown' at 10 is preferably cylindricalv inV form, although it ymay'have other shapes, if desired.' At opposite sides 4of' the box ad.

Because of this,y

jacent its bottom, Vrecesses 11 are formed,

tenersi l permitting the inlet.- and outlet pipes 12 and 13 to extend into the box and to be connected to the meter M therein. Adjacent the top of the box V10 there is formedV a flange 14, presenting interior cylindrical surfaces 15and concave sphericalvseating surfaces 16 .there-v abov'e. The cover 17 has ya lower cylindricalv portion 18 vwhich is adapted to bedisposed between the cylindrical surfaces 15. lAbove the cylindrilv portion 18, the cover presents convex seating surfaces 19, which vseat upon the spherical seating surfac`es116 on the box.

A. rectangular aperture`20Y is formed cen-V trally of the cover. Although the box 10 is shown as being cylindrical in form, it may have other shapes, butit is .essential that the f fla-nge 14V present interior ycylindrical sur-v faces 15 and spherical seating surfaces 16 Recessesl e to accommodate a circular cover.

21 are formed in the iiange 14 below the spherical seating surfaces 16.

The tool or keyy shown in Fig. 5 is prefera'bly rectangular in cross section, andv is ca.-`

pable of being inserted throughvthefrectanv gular aperture 20. Its lwer end is provided with a hook 22 adapted to engage the under side of the cover 17 in lifting the cover from the box to vinspect the meter M. YThe key is shown as having a lateral handle 23."

The advantagesof the improved 'construc-l tion are as follows: Because of the' circular cover 17 and the box 10'havingsphericalv seating surfaces, the cover can `easily be rotated or twirledvupon its seat. This move-AV ment which may be produced by rotation ofv the key tends to sweep off any sand or dirt which accumulates between the sphericall seating surfaces on the box and cover and Such a v cause it to falla-intol the meter box. removal o-f the sand andfdirt will always cause the cover to. .properlyseat upon the box so that the top surface of the cover will i befiush with the top surface of the meter box. The recesses 21 in the box 101` cooperate with 'the'cylindrical surfaces provided upon the cylindrical portion 18 of the cover 17 tov form apertures through which'the sand and.V ydirt cany readily drop into the interior of thev bo-x.

From the above 'construction Ait willA lreadily be appreciated that the'pmeter inspector after takinga reading of the meter can .re-

place thecover upon therbox by means of thus insure the c upon the meter the key and before withdrawingrt-he key from within the aperture 2O he can twirl the cover'by means or' the key quite readily and proper seating of the cover box. y

VIt will be understood that Vvarious changes inV the deta'il'oic construction may be made vwithout departing from the spiritor. scope of `the invention as delined by the appen led claims: Y Y H claim: Y t. A meter box having a circular Cover, there being complementary seating` surfaces ornied on the bo'X and on the cover, the :urlaces on the cover being curved fsely of its periphery, there being and on the cover below the seatingl surfaces adapted to contact and recesses formed on one of said cylindrical surfaces as and for y the purpose described.

A meter box having a circular cover, there being` complementa-ry seating` surfaces formed on the box and on the cove-r, the seatingsurtaces on'the cover being curved transversely of itsV periphery, .there being cylindrical surfaces provided on the box and on the cover below Vthe seating surfaces kadapted to' contact and recesses formed on .,ndrical surfaces provided on the boxV 'seating surfaces adaptedV to seat on the sea-ting surfaces on'the box, the seating` surfaces on the cover being curved transversely o' its 'eriphery. here beingrecesses formed on the cylindrical surfaces or the box 'as and for vthe .purpose described.

meter box having` an inwardly eX- a tending` flange providing interior cylindrical surfaces and 'seating surfaces rthereabove, and a circular cover for the box having a cylindrical portion adapted to fit between the cylindrical ,surfaces on the box and having; seating surfacesv adapted'to seat on the seating' surfaces on the box, the seating surfaces ony the box beingr other than horizontal7 and there being recesses formed on the cylindrical surfaces on the box asand for the purpose described. Y Y

In testimony whereorc I have signed my naine to this specitication.

- LEO G'. Hai-rse. 

